Left For You
by Kitty Savella
Summary: It must have been destiny that I was left for you.
1. Prologue

**Title:** Left For You

**Author: **Kitty Savella

**Pairing: **Harry/Draco, Ron/Hermione, Neville/Luna

**Rating:** M as precaution

**Warnings:**Language, adult themes, AU, slight OOC, slightly against Dumbledore, slight Weasley bashing, Hermione bashing, pureblood idealism, evolution of feelings in preteens and the discovery of sexual activities by minors, and probably some other stuff I haven't through of yet. You have been warned.

**Notes:** This story is one of those Snape-Is-Harry's-Father sort of fics, only this has nothing to do with Lily being unfaithful or James boning Severus. This is a legally plausible way for Severus to gain custody of Harry. I feel like this story line could have happened, in an alternate reality where Petunia gets fed up much easier and isn't as afraid of Dumbledore. Also, I don't have a beta for this story, so you'll just have to put up with any errors or possible plot holes you find. (For the plot holes, please let me know. I wrote the prologue and the first four chapters of this in one sitting, on very little food and no water. I'm dizzy and probably not thinking straight.)

**Prologue**

"Where's my Ickle Diddydums?" Petunia crooned, her mouth turned up in a sickening smile.

A chubby blonde boy, no older than five, came careening around the corner into the parlor where his mother was kneeling with his coat. The boy had chocolate all over his face and was sucking on a chocolate-coated finger. Petunia smiled wider and hugged the boy close to her chest, regardless of the fact that he was a mess. She grabbed a handkerchief from her dress pocket and made a token effort to clean the gooey mess from her son. After a few moments of rubbing ineffectually, she gave up and simply stuffed the blonde child into his coat. As soon as his fingers were exposed again, he resumed sucking on them.

A few feet away, another child sat in the parlor, watching the woman interact with her son. This child was jealous of the attention his cousin was getting. The raven-haired boy never had a mother to wipe the chocolate off of his face—not that he had ever had chocolate before to get on his face. The slender child also never had anyone worry about him getting cold, and so never owned a coat.

"Petunia, dear, best be off. Don't want to catch all the traffic, now do we?" A large whale of a man, Vernon, said to his wife. He smiled down at his blonde offspring and gave the boy a firm pat on the head. Turning ever so slightly, the smile fell off his face to be replaced with a frown. "Get in the car, freak. Figg's gone and busted her leg again on one of her damned cats. Can't leave you hear unattended, might come back with the house blown up. Won't have you slowing us down either. Move!"

No one could ever say that Vernon Dursley was a nice man, though one could argue that he loved his family very much. In his eyes, the black haired child that could theoretically call his own son 'cousin' wasn't family at all. Just because the thing's mother was related to his wife didn't make the abomination family. _Only thirteen more years, Vernon old chum,_ he told himself. Thirteen years was an awful long time.

After chasing the raven haired boy and his own blonde child into the car and making sure that at least Dudley was buckled in securely, Vernon got behind the wheel of their old Ford Anglia. Petunia slid into the seat next to him and they were off.

It had been weeks since Petunia first brought up going to Spinner's End to visit the graves of her parents. Though she usually harbored a resentment against them for always favoring her "perfect sister," she thought it due time to show some respect, seeing as they did raise her and love her. Vernon was quite against it and had spent a good three weeks trying to talk her out of the walk down memory lane. However, being a headstrong woman, Petunia put her foot down on the issue, and so they went.

Harry, the small child with raven black hair, had never been told much about his grandparents. He had no idea what their names were, what they looked like, or what kind of people they had been when alive. And until he heard his Aunt Petunia angrily declaring that they were going to visit the dead people's graves, he hadn't even known they were deceased. So Harry was very much looking forward to going along, and was glad, to some extent, that Mrs. Figg had tripped over another of her cats and once again broke her leg.

The trip to Spinner's End seemed to take forever for young Harry, especially with his chubby cousin sitting next to him, bludgeoning him over the head with a toy robot he was allowed to bring along. Harry was never allowed to bring toys along when he rode in the car. In fact, Harry was never allowed to even own toys. Toys, as he was told, were only for good little boys and girls who had mommies and daddies and weren't freaks of nature. That always made Harry sad because, by his way of thinking, it wasn't his fault he didn't have a mommy of a daddy, and it also wasn't his fault that strange things always happened around him. By the time Harry and the Dursleys arrived at the graveyard in Spinner's End, Harry had a very sore head and was starting to get fed up with his spoiled cousin.

"All right, Duddikins, we're going to go visit Grandma and Grandpa now." Petunia smiled sickeningly at her son once again and helped the rotund child from the car. She shot a glare at Harry and said, "I don't care if you stay in the car or not, just don't. Touch. Anything!" She broke off her last three words as they were their own sentences, presumably to show Harry just how serious she was about his not breaking anything.

Harry frowned, once she had moved away from the car, as he had no intention of touching anything and felt that her warning really was far more suited to Dudley, seeing as the boy tended to be a walking disaster, what with his weight issues. He slipped from his seat and quit the car on the opposite side from the rest of the family. He looked about, noticing dozens of different headstones, several monuments and a couple of simple wooden crosses stuck in the freshly turned ground. He meandered over to one of the new gravesites and looked at the name: Samantha Warbuckle. He had no idea who that was, or if she was important, but he did know that she was dead. The thought made him sad.

"I didn't know you, Ms. Warbuckle, but I'm sorry you're dead." Harry said softly, a few tears falling from his small green eyes, before walking over to a small patch of wild daisies and plucking a couple from the ground. He slowly went back to Samantha's grave and placed the daisies down as a sort of offering to her spirit, letting her know that someone missed her. Just as the small child was about to stand up and look around some more, a large blob of flesh rammed into him from behind, causing him to fall into Samantha's marker and tip it over, crushing the freshly lain daisies.

Upon seeing the destruction his cousin had caused, Harry got sad and angry at the same time. Ms. Warbuckle didn't deserve her grave to be defiled like that; she was dead and alone now, with no one else to remember that she ever lived. "Dudley, look what you made me do. Ms. Warbuckle's cross got knocked over. Now how's anyone supposed to know where she's buried?"

Dudley sneered at his stupid little cousin and shoved him when he tried to straighten the cross, landing the boy back in the freshly turned earth with the wooden cross painfully beneath his chest. When the smaller boy attempted to get up again, Dudley used a foot to hold Harry's head down in the moist dirt. "Who cares about stinky dead Ms. Warbuckle? We're here to see MY grandparents, not some other dumb lady who died."

Harry's face was bright red, not that Dudley could see if from the older boy's position on top of Harry. "They're my grandparents too, Dudley!"

"Yeah, but no one cares about you. Mum and Dad didn't even want you to come. They didn't want you at all! Nobody wants a stupid little freak like you. You're an abonination!"

Dudley's words were spiteful, and he knew that they would hurt his cousin greatly. He smiled as Harry started thrashing beneath his foot, trying valiantly to dislodge his much older cousin. Once Harry finally managed to get himself free, he stood facing his cousin on the other side of the Warbuckle grave. His green eyes were filled with tears of anger. Dudley's grin only widened when he noticed the tears and the clenched fists. He loved getting a rise out of the smaller boy, though he wasn't particularly good at thinking ahead enough to realize that seriously angering Harry was a bad idea.

The large blonde child didn't know when to quit. "Did you like that dead woman, _Potter_? Did she remind you of your _mummy_? Your _dead_ mummy? You don't have any parents because only good boys get parents. Freaks like you don't get _anything_. You don't deserve to be loved or happy; you don't deserve to even be alive!"

Harry's shoulders squared and his eyes hardened in his anger, the tears now long gone. He was tired of listening to his cousin put him down for having dead parents; he was tired of always having to stand there and take it. Dudley was the one who was the freak, not him. Dudley was the one who didn't deserve to have a mommy and a daddy. Dudley was the one who didn't even deserve to be alive.

Dudley could feel the change in his cousin and got scared. He began to quickly back away from the black-haired boy, then turned around and ran, afraid of something bad happening to him. Harry gave in to his anger and ran after the fat boy, his hair slightly standing on end and magical electricity crackling along his skin. He was angry, very angry, and everything inside of him demanded he make the fat blonde pay.

"Mu~mmy!" Dudley wailed, running towards his mother as fast as his chubby little legs could carry him. He was terrified of his cousin, and thought that only his mother could make the little freak stop chasing him. The larger boy was crying pitifully, tripping several times in his fright. He was fairly certain that if the smaller boy caught up with him, he's be dead.

Harry didn't slow, even when he saw the shocked and outraged faces of his aunt and uncle. That angry feeling inside him grew larger; those people deserved to pay too. Those people, his supposed family, were supposed to love him and keep him safe, but they didn't. Those people made him hurt and cry. They didn't deserve to be alive anymore either. He closed his eyes and let his magic lashed out, wanting to hurt his family so bad that they didn't get up, so bad that they couldn't hurt him ever again.

When Harry opened his eyes again, the gravestones of his grandparents were floating in the air right above the Dursleys' stupid dumb heads. Harry was shocked at the floating stones, and in his distraction he accidentally let them drop, though they fell just behind where the Dursleys were standing. Dudley began screaming and crying louder, a large wet spot forming in his pants. Petunia and Vernon were terrified of the little freak and wanted their family as far away from him as possible. They grabbed Dudley and scooted away from Harry as quickly as they could, not wanting to be around him another minute.

The three people moved as quickly and as cautiously as they could, trying to get around Harry and make it to their car. Neither Petunia nor Vernon wanted to tell the boy to move, or to get close enough to touch him and move him themselves.

Seeing how terrified his family was gave Harry a slight power trip. He liked knowing that they were afraid of him for a change. He liked being the one on top for once. Somewhere deep down, he felt a little guilty at doing this to them—after all, they were still his family—but the rest of him really didn't care.

The Dursleys finally made it around Harry and they dashed to their car. Petunia threw Dudley into the back seat; for once not checking to make sure her precious angel was buckled in. Vernon slid as quickly as he could into the driver's seat and turned the car on. Petunia was barely seated, her door still a bit ajar, when Vernon peeled the car away from the graveyard.

The angry little boy was only slightly surprised that his family took off without him, but he wasn't upset about it—at least not right away. He was simply wondering what he was supposed to do now. The thought hadn't really crossed him mind when he was trying to hurt them, but it did now. If he didn't have a family, or anyone to take care of him, how was he going to eat? The wind began howling around him and he shivered a little. He also wondered how he was going to stay warm.

He looked around to see if there was anything around him he could use for shelter. The graveyard was pretty open, though there were several lanes nearby that Harry could see. Perhaps one of the houses on one of those lanes would be kind enough to take a stray child in for the night. Harry was a bit nervous about going door-to-door looking for charity, but he really didn't know what else he could do.

Harry stood on the stoop of the fifth house he had come to, waiting for the person who lived here to come open the door. All of the other houses he had tried so far were full of crabby old people. None of them thought Harry was being serious, despite the fact that he was a lonely little four year old begging for a place to sleep. One man even threatened to get out the hose if he didn't get off his property. Harry was starting to lose hope that anyone would be willing to help him.

The street lamps started coming on, and Harry really started thinking about what he was going to do. He was only four, but he was smart for his age. He knew that his aunt, uncle and Dudley were long gone by now and definitely weren't coming back, no matter how terrified Aunt Petunia was of a man called "Dumbledore". He knew that the person who lived here might not be home, and even if he was, he probably wouldn't help out a scrawny little runt like Harry.

Harry started crying out of sheer frustration. He hated that everyone around this stupid graveyard was self-absorbed and didn't care about their fellow man. He was tired and didn't want to have to keep knocking on doors all night. And most of all, he was starting to regret letting his anger at his family get the better of him.

Harry's tears grew bitterer and his heart was starting to break. After hours of trying to find someone to help him, Harry's maturity level was starting to drop. He slowly started crying louder and louder, and he could feel himself on the edge of a class four meltdown.

It only took a couple of minutes of wailing as loud as he possibly could before Harry could hear feet on the stairs inside the house. The boy decided that the best way to get help might be to ham it up for all he was worth. He opened his mouth and started adding screams to his wails and sobs. There was a part of him, on the inside, that was smirking. _Let's see him turn me away when I look this pathetic,_ Harry thought to himself.

Severus Snape was shocked, to say the least, to find a wailing child on his doorstep. The boy was scrawny, looking no older than three or four, with a wild mop of black hair. The boy looked absolutely pathetic and utterly alone. The potions master looked up and down the lane to see if there was anyone who could possible be with the child, but Severus saw no one.

The usually stoic man looked back down at the child crying on his doorstep. Severus knew he wasn't good with children, especially children who made a lot of noise. _There's nothing for it, I'll have to at least get the child to tell me where he came from and what he's doing on _my_ stoop._

"Child," he called softly, trying to get the boy to stop crying. "Boy, how did you get here?"

Upon hearing the man's voice, Harry stopped crying immediately. The raven-haired child blinked his luminous green eyes up at the black-eyed man and sniffled softly. The man had jet black eyes, an overly large nose, and shoulder-length black hair. Harry thought, even with his large nose, that this man looked pretty. He wanted to answer the man's questions, and he desperately hoped that this man would let him stay the night.

"I walked here from the graveyard."

Severus' eyes widened. That was an odd place for a child to be. "Why were you in the graveyard? And why did you come here?"

"Well," Harry began, still sniffling and trying to make himself look as pitiable as possible. "I was supposed to be visiting my grandparents, but I got left behind. I don't think my family wants me anymore." The green-eyed boy let a few tears slip out and roll down his face, trying to tug on the man's heart strings.

The dour man took in the tears and the sniffles and wondered, for just a moment, if everything was an act. He wondered if this child could be a lure for thieves or con men. He felt as though he should tread carefully with this child and not make any hasty decisions.

"Where do you grandparents live? I could take you there, and you could stay with them for the night."

"My grandparents are in the graveyard, though I don't know if I can find them again. Their stones got moved."

Understanding dawned on Severus and he sighed internally. The boy's grandparents were dead, and that was why he was in the graveyard in the first place. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to stave off a headache. If he couldn't place the child with his grandparents, then he'd have to figure out where his parents went.

"And where do you think your parents went? They couldn't have gone far without you, right?"

Harry's green eyes filled with pain and real tears began flowing much more quickly than the fake ones had. His parents. How he wished that he could just go home with his parents. But that wasn't an option, and in order for this pretty man to keep him, he'd have to know that.

"My parents are in another graveyard. I don't know where though. I've never met them."

Severus' eyes widened once more. This boy had no parents and no grandparents. Who, then, took this child to visit their graves?

"Boy, who were you in the graveyard with today? Who left you alone?"

Harry was getting tired and he wished this man would let him come inside. He was cold and hungry and just wanted to lie down. "Aunt 'Tunia 'n Uncle Vernon 'n cousin Du'ley. But when the stones started movin' 'round, they lef' me." More tears started pouring down little Harry's cheeks, and Severus knew that he couldn't let the child continue to stand out in the cold.

He scooped the child up and carried him into the parlor, sitting down in a chair with the small boy in his lap. Harry's eyes had closed during the short walk to the sitting room, and by the time Severus had completely finished moving, he was asleep. The much older man looked down at the boy and took in more of the details of the child's appearance.

With his eyes closed, the little boy looked like a dirty angel. His black hair sprung out in every direction, quite reminiscent of a man Severus used to know. He ran his hand through it and felt its silky softness, brushing it back from the kid's forehead. As soon as he did that, his eyes flew open wide. There, on the child's brow, was a lightening bolt-shaped scar.

"Harry?" The man whispered softly, shocked beyond most words to find the savior of the Wizarding world in his lap.

At the softly spoken word, Harry's brilliant green eyes fluttered open and he stared blearily up at the man who was holding him. His eyes were having trouble focusing, so he closed them again, though he didn't fall back to sleep right away.

Severus held his breath for a moment, but once the child's eyes closed again, he let it out. "Harry, is it really you? I should have recognized you right away. You have Lily's eyes, and I thought that hair looked suspiciously like Potter's. Oh, Harry…"

Harry, even through the fog of fatigue, felt shocked at the man's words. This man, this cold man, knew his name. Knew his mother, and his father. He liked this pretty man all the more now, and hoped he would keep him. He felt safe with this man.


	2. Chapter 1

**Title:** What Lies Beneath

**Author: **Kitty Savella

**Pairing: **Harry/Draco, Ron/Hermione, Neville/Luna

**Rating:** M as precaution

**Warnings:**Language, adult themes, AU, slight OOC, slightly against Dumbledore, slight Weasley bashing, Hermione bashing, pureblood idealism, evolution of feelings in preteens and the discovery of sexual activities by minors, and probably some other stuff I haven't through of yet. You have been warned. (I also reserve the right to omit anything that is in the warning from the story if I decide that it just doesn't fit. I may or may not change the warning to reflect the absence of stuff.)

**Notes:** This chapter was originally written just after the original prologue, but I decided to go back and rewrite because I had forgotten two key plot points that presented as glaring holes later in the story. So, instead of writing the fourth and fifth chapters of this story, I'm going back and making the prologue and first three chapters better. I'll get to the newer stuff as soon as the rewrite's done. (It's going pretty quickly.)

**Chapter One**

Harry had been staying with Severus for about a month when he saw his second magical person. The raven-haired boy was playing in the front garden with a couple of toy cars when he saw a blonde family walking up the lane. At first he thought it was his Aunt Petunia come back for him and he got scared, but as the three people came closer, he realized that these people were much prettier than Aunt Petunia and the other Dursleys. However, they all did have the same pinched look on their faces that Aunt Petunia got when she saw something nasty—usually Harry.

The raven-haired boy decided right away that he didn't like these people. They were too…angry…or cold—he didn't really know which. They looked down on everything, and Harry was sure that he wouldn't be an exception. He watched as they moved as a unit, backs ramrod straight and noses lifted loftily in the air. The man had long blonde hair, tied back with an ice blue ribbon. The woman's long blonde hair was piled up prettily on the top of her head, covered with a stylish hat. The small boy in between them had much shorter blonde hair that was slicked back with something. Harry thought they all looked much to pretty to be on such an ordinary lane.

When the family was about two yards away, Harry stood up and dusted off his knickerbockers. He ran a hand through his hair in a vain attempt to straighten it a bit. He made sure that his shirt was straight and there was no dirt on his face, and then stood in the yard, waiting for the family to either pass, or come to the gate. It took only another couple of moments for the family to pause at the gate. The other boy looked Harry straight in the eye for a full thirty seconds before lifting his head to look at his mother.

"Mother, who is that boy in Uncle Severus' yard?" His voice was soft and melodic, with just a hint of a whine at the end. Harry could tell that the boy was used to being spoiled. Dudley's voice sounded a lot like that, only rougher and far whinier.

The woman turned her frigid blue gaze to the boy in question, pinning him with her stare. Harry stood up straighter, squared his shoulders, and bore her scrutiny without a single flinch.

"I haven't a clue, Draco. Why don't you ask him?"

The blonde child, Draco, took two steps forward, stopping just short of actually touching the garden gate. "Hey, you. What's your name?"

The man smacked the child in the back of his legs with the cane he held in his black-gloved hand. Harry flinched just slightly at the act of violence. The man spoke for the first time.

"Manners, Draco. This child is most likely a guest of Severus', as are we."

Draco bowed his head. "Yes, Father."

Harry narrowed his eyes before taking a step forward. "My name is Harry James Potter, son of Lily and James Potter, deceased. And you are?" He never wanted it to be said that he didn't also possess manners.

All three blondes expressed their shock at his name in different ways. The man tightened his hold on his cane; the woman raised a hand to her mouth, and the boy's eyes widened comically, his mouth falling open.

A small smirk graced Harry's face. He enjoyed shocking snooty people like these pretty blondes. "It's quite rude to forgo giving your name after one has asked for it," Harry stated, quirking an eyebrow like Severus taught him.

The man cleared his throat and responded first. "Please forgive my son for his lack of manners. It seems meeting a celebrity has caused him to lose his faculties momentarily. My name is Lucius Malfoy. This is my wife, Narcissa, and my son, Draco." He pointed first to his lovely wife and then to his son, who still had his mouth gaping open like a fish.

Harry's smirk grew wider. "Did you know, Draco, that if you keep your mouth open like that, you'll catch flies?" The boy's mouth snapped shut audibly and Harry let out a soft chuckle. "If the three of you will wait here for a moment, I shall go and fetch Severus."

Severus was brewing in his private laboratory and Harry was sure he would rather not be disturbed. However, when three blonde aristocrats showed up in your front garden, you really shouldn't leave them waiting. The raven-haired boy knocked on the laboratory door before walking in, not waiting for the man within to bid him enter.

"Harry, what's wrong?"

Harry paused just inside the door, breathing in the smell of potions ingredients and stale air. It always reminded him of Severus, every time he smelled it. He associated it with safety and love. When the man cleared his throat, however, the boy came back to the present.

"I apologize for interrupting you, Severus, but you have visitors."

The potions master furrowed his brow. "Visitors? Did you get their names, Harry?"

He nodded. "Of course. Lord and Lady Malfoy, and their son Draco, await you in the garden."

"Lord and Lady Malfoy? Did they ask who you were Harry? Did you tell them your name?" Severus looked a bit panicked.

It was Harry's turn to furrow his brow. In all the things Severus told him about magic and who he was, who his parents were, he never said anything about keeping his identity a secret.

"I was asked by the boy, Draco, who I was. It would have been rude and a breach of etiquette if I refused him. I spoke the truth. It was rather fun, actually, to see three such polished people lose their composure like that."

A pinched look came over Severus' face. "Well, what's done is done. I had better go see what Lucius wants." He flicked his wand and placed his potion under a stasis spell. "Come along, Harry. It's never good to leave a Malfoy waiting, especially outside."

The man and his ward calmly walked down the stairs and to the front door. Harry desperately wanted to ask Severus why it was so bad that he had told their guests who he was. The Dark Lord was dead, wasn't he?

"Lucius, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" The black-haired man said stiffly. These particular blondes were the last he wanted coming to his home while Harry was still in attendance, and now that they knew for a fact that Harry was here, he wasn't sure what they would do with the information.

Lucius bowed his head in greeting. "I see you have a guest. Is he just visiting, or is this his home as well?" There was a sharp look to the blonde's face, and Severus had no doubt that the future hinged delicately on his answer.

"Harry informed me that you are aware of his identity. For the time being, I shall be taking care of him. Think of it as a vacation from his relatives."

Lucius was again the one who spoke. "A vacation from his relatives? When will he be returning to them?"

Severus looked briefly at Harry before turning his attention once more on his friend. "He has been with me for the last month. I am attempting to teach him as much as I can about Magic and who he is, which his guardians are either incapable of doing, or unwilling. He will be returning to them when I am satisfied that his education is sufficient to allow him to cope with his accidental magic."

Narcissa was the next to speak. "Are his relatives muggles, Severus?"

"Yes, as far as I can tell. Harry has not revealed much about his upbringing to me, but from what I can gather, those people haven't an ounce of magic between them. I have not yet asked Albus about them."

It was actually Draco who spoke next. "Uncle Severus, why would Headmaster Dumbledore know anything about Harry Potter's muggle relatives?"

"Severus, would you like to explain to the boy," Lucius asked, clearly not wanting the task for himself.

Narcissa put her hand on her husband's arm to draw his attention. "We should first take this indoors. If we stand out here too long, it will draw the unwanted attention of the neighbors. You first, Draco." She shooed her son inside.

Once all three adults and both children were comfortably settled in the parlor, Severus began to explain the situation.

"Headmaster Dumbledore has his hands in a lot of pots, Draco. It was his decision what to do with young Harry the night his parents were murdered. I believe that he chose to place Harry with the muggles to keep him off of the radar. If no magical beings knew where to _find_ Harry Potter, then no magical beings could _harm_ Harry Potter."

"But, Severus, that doesn't still doesn't explain why he is currently residing with you, or why his family has not explained magic to Mr. Potter," Narcissa interjected.

Severus cleared his throat. "The matter is rather delicate, Narcissa. All you really need know is that Harry has come to stay with me, and I have taken it upon myself to teach him what he should have already known."

Harry was a little confused at why Severus continuously avoided giving any straight answers. He never said, in so many words, that Harry was living with him permanently. He also never said, in so many words, that Harry would be homeless if not for Severus' kindness. Harry smiled internally, appreciating the man's avoidance of straight answers, even though he didn't understand it.

Draco was most likely the most curious person in the room, or at least, the one most likely to ask questions. "Uncle Severus, are you going to be taking him with you when you leave for Hogwarts on the first, or is he going back to his relatives'?"

Severus hadn't thought about it. He had just been thinking about how to get by day to day with a five-year-old child underfoot. Something had to be done with the boy, and if he took him to Hogwarts, then Albus would most assuredly realize that Harry was no longer living with the Dursleys.

"I am embarrassed to say, Draco, that I hadn't thought about it. His education on all things magical is not yet complete, so he cannot return to the muggles. And he will need to start learning the things he would in primary school as well. However, I cannot bring him with me to Hogwarts."

"Why not, Uncle Severus? I think it would be fun to live at Hogwarts."

"Draco, be practical. Severus will be spending the largest portion of his days teaching other children about potions. He will not have the time to be babysitting another child while he does that," Narcissa responded, answering for Severus.

"Not to mention, Draco, that Headmaster Dumbledore will then realize that Harry is on 'vacation,' and will most likely demand that Severus return the boy at once. It doesn't seem like that is an option, either," Lucius finished.

Harry screwed up his courage and looked each of the Malfoys in the eye, starting with Lucius and ending with Draco. "I have a proposal."

All three adults quirked and eyebrow at Harry's statement, confused as to what sort of proposal a five-year-old could have.

"Go on, Harry," Severus stated softly.

The small boy cleared his throat. "If you were amiable to it, Lord and Lady Malfoy, I could study with Draco. He and I seem to be the same age, and so it seems logical that we combine our needs. Because I simply cannot resume my place with my relatives, and Severus cannot be toting a needy child with him to Scotland, the best option would be to have me stay with a trusted friend. Which I dare say you all seem to be."

Draco's face instantly lit up at the suggestion. He could not remember if he had ever had a friend quite as intriguing as Harry Potter, but he highly doubted it. His mother always had some pureblood heir or another coming over for a "play date," but most of the children were only interested in the things Draco owned, not the boy himself. Harry seemed different, somehow, as if he knew that people were more valuable for who they were, not what they owned.

"I like him," Draco stated. "I wish for him to join me in my studies at the manor. I feel as though I would be much more likely to succeed if I had someone to compete with. If it is only the tutor and myself, there will be no challenge to overcome. Also, this would help Uncle Severus, and therefore make him happy. I enjoy making Uncle Severus happy."

Narcissa stated, "I don't see why we couldn't take the boy in. Draco does have a valid point about competition garnering better results."

Severus shared a look with Lucius; it seemed as though they were the last to voice their opinion. Each had quite the valid point. Severus simply could not, under any circumstances, take Harry with him to Hogwarts. And, unbeknownst to Lucius or Narcissa, Harry could not go home because his family didn't want him.

"Lucius, if you would be so kind, I would appreciate it if you could look after Harry for me while I am away teaching. You would, of course, be compensated greatly."

"I don't want your money, Severus," Lucius scoffed at his friend. Keeping Harry for a few months really was no hardship at all. With the Dark Lord dead and the majority of his followers imprisoned in Azkaban, there was little danger where Harry was concerned. Albus was the only one anyone needed to worry about, and Malfoy Manor would be the last place the old codger would search for the boy.

Severus smirked. "I said nothing about money, Lucius. I simply said you would be compensated. I believe you asked for a few different potions last week, did you not?"

Lucius nodded and reclined back in his armchair, one leg resting on top of the other. "I did. In fact, that was the very reason we came to see you. When I told Narcissa that I'd be away for a while, coming here to retrieve the potions, she insisted she come along and pay you a visit. And you know we couldn't very well leave Draco out when coming to visit you."

* * *

><p>"Naturally. If you give me a few moments, I shall be back with the potions that you requested. During the next several months, feel free to compile another list of anything you run low on. I will, of course, prepare them for you."<p>

"As unnecessary as it is, it is appreciated."

Draco and Harry were getting bored of grown-up talk, so they both made their excuses and went back out into the garden. Harry sat to one side of the trucks he had been playing with, gesturing to Draco that the blonde boy should sit on the other.

"Have you ever played with a plastic truck, Draco? Muggle children have tons of them."

Draco scowled and turned up his nose. "Malfoys don't play with muggle toys."

Harry cocked his head to the side. "Then what _do_ you play with?"

Draco sniffed. "Malfoys don't _play_. We train and educate."

"Of course you play. All children play. You must just call it something different. What do you 'train' and 'educate' with?"

The blonde aristocrat didn't take kindly to Harry making fun of him, but knew better than to alienate someone so famous. He decided that it would be better to get back at Harry when it really counted, like with their upcoming studies.

"I train on a toy broom for an hour every day, to learn how to ride it properly. I am educated on correct posture for two hours every day on my mare _Morgana_. She's a Pegasus."

"A Pegasus? What's that?"

Draco scoffed at Harry. He couldn't believe that any magically child wouldn't know what a Pegasus was. "It's a winged horse. I can't believe you've never heard of a Pegasus before. Did you used to live under a rock?"

Harry answered honestly. "No, I lived in a cupboard."

"A cupboard? You can't be serious. Who lives in a cupboard."

"I do. Or did, until Severus took me in. I don't think I've ever thanked him properly for saving me."

"He saved you? How did he manage to do that? He almost never leaves Spinner's End, and when he does, it's to either teach and Hogwarts or to visit at our Manor."

The raven-haired boy laughed. "He didn't save me in the literal sense. See, what happened was I was visiting my grandparents in that graveyard over there," Harry pointed down the lane to the patch of green that was only barely visible. "I was with my aunt, uncle and cousin. My cousin, well, he's a bit like you, only chubby and with fewer manners. He's blonde and spoiled, and can be quite mean—especially to me.

"Anyways, my relatives and I were visiting my grandparents, and Dudley—my cousin—decided that it would be a good idea to shove me into a grave. Not an empty one, but one that was newly filled with dirt. I landed on the wooden cross they used to mark where the headstone should go, and crushed the flowers I had laid there. I got really cross with my cousin and tried to get up to tell him off. He stood on me so I couldn't get up and started taunting me about my dead parents. My magic started crackling and eventually he backed away enough that I could get up. I started chasing him and almost killed him with my grandparents' headstones.

"My aunt and uncle were freaked out, and Dudley had wet himself. They were lucky that I lost my concentration, or I would have flattened them. But anyways, they ran away and left me in the graveyard.

"I started knocking on doors and asking for help, but no one wanted to help me. They thought I was part of some scam or something. They turned me away, and some even threatened me. Eventually, I got to Severus' house. By then, I was tired and hungry. I started crying and he came out. He let me stay, and the rest, as they say, is history."

"Wait a minute," Draco said. "So, you almost killed your relatives? Why did Uncle Severus say that you were on vacation, then?"

Harry smiled. "I think it was because he didn't want to reveal more information that I wanted to give out, but that's just a guess. He might not fully trust your parents. Or he might not have wanted to launch into the details. I don't really know."

"Is he going to adopt you, or something? Magical adoptions are pretty common, and don't take very long. If he did that, not even Dumbledore could take you away."

The younger boy's eyes widened and he grew quiet, deep in thought. He'd have to ask Severus about that. It would make things much easier if the professor adopted him, but that didn't mean the man wanted to be saddled with a child for the rest of his life.

"I'll ask Severus about it. It logically makes sense, but that doesn't mean he'll go for it."

"True," Draco replied. "Hey, maybe if Severus doesn't want to do it, Mother and Father will. I've always wanted a younger brother."

Harry's face brightened with another smile. "That would be wizard, Draco. I'd finally have a family to call my own. The Dursleys always acted like I didn't exist. I never really felt like they were my family, you know?"

Draco didn't know, but he played along anyways. "Yeah." His stomach rumbled softly. "I'm hungry, Harry. Let's go bug Uncle Severus for a snack."

The boys stood up and dusted off their clothes, making sure no grass or dirt was clinging to their bottoms. They checked each other out to make sure nothing was amiss before walking back into the house.

Harry paused just outside the door. "We're friends, aren't we Draco?"

The blonde smiled a brilliant smile. "Of course we are, Harry. We'll always be friends, you and I."

"Good."

TBC


	3. Chapter 2

**Title:** What Lies Beneath

**Author: **Araēa Swiftwind

**Pairing: **Harry/Draco, Ron/Hermione, Neville/Luna

**Rating:** M as precaution

**Warnings:**Language, adult themes, AU, slight OOC, slightly against Dumbledore, slight Weasley bashing, Hermione bashing, pureblood idealism, evolution of feelings in preteens and the discovery of sexual activities by minors, and probably some other stuff I haven't through of yet. You have been warned. (I also reserve the right to omit anything that is in the warning from the story if I decide that it just doesn't fit. I may or may not change the warning to reflect the absence of stuff.)

**Notes:** I'm soooo sorry that it's taken so long to update. I have this story on AFF as well as here, and I really thought that both stories were at the same place, chapter wise. Well, color me embarrassed when I realized that I'm four chapters behind on what I have written. OTL . So, please, take this chapter as a small token of my affection for all of you, and have another one to tide you over.

**Chapter Two**

A week after Harry had convinced the Malfoys to take care of him while Severus was teaching at Hogwarts, he approached his guardian to ask him about magical adoptions. Harry was nervous about broaching such a subject with the dour man, but he felt the need to assuage his curiosity. He climbed the stairs slowly and knocked softly on the door to the potions laboratory.

A voice called out through the door, impatience clear in every word. "What is it, Harry? I'm in the middle of a complicated potion."

Harry winced and looked down at his feet; ashamed at interrupting the potions master when he was clearly busy. He had been told time and time again not to bother the man while he was brewing unless it was an emergency. He was starting to think that asking about something so delicate at a time like this was a bad idea. Losing his nerve, the boy turned to walk back down the stairs and look at books in the library. The door opened before he could turn all the way around and he found a scowling Severus looking down at him.

"If you are going to knock on the door and interrupt my train of thought, the least you could do is state the reason for the interruption." The man was clearly irritated at having been drawn away from his work. Harry could see past the man's legs the workbench against the far wall. Looking up just a bit more, he could see the softly simmering cauldron sitting above a low flame. The smell of henbane, mugwort and dragon liver permeated the air, almost making Harry gag.

The raven-haired child gulped and swiftly looked back down at his shoes. His eyes were watering from the intense fumes that were wafting out of the room. He sort of felt like he deserved the discomfort, though; it was never a good idea to bother Severus when he was in a bad mood. Harry thought he really should have known better than to pester the man while he was brewing.

"Harry, I will only ask you one more time. If you force me to wait on the answer beyond that, you will be severely punished; do you understand me? Why did you interrupt me?"

The too-thin child took a deep calming breath and looked up into the obsidian eyes of his guardian, his own eyes still watering and his chest tight from the fumes. "I had wanted to ask you about magical adoptions and what you thought of them, but I see that now really isn't a good time, so I'll just go downstairs and entertain myself until you are done."

Finely arched black eyebrows rose towards Severus' hairline. He hadn't expected Harry to know anything about magical adoptions, nor had he expected the boy to come and speak to him about something so serious and delicate. He knew the boy was more intelligent than most children of the same age, but it never ceased to amaze him when the child said something so mature.

"Harry, who was it that told you about magical adoptions? I don't recall Lucius or Narcissa bringing it up while they were here. Did Draco mention it while the two of you were playing in the garden?" The black eyes held a hint of curiosity in them, urging Harry to respond truthfully.

"Yes. He said that they weren't that complicated and that if you magically adopted me, then not even Headmaster Dumbledore could take me away from you. And I'd never have to go back to my relatives' house again. But, I told him that just because it makes logical sense to do something like that, doesn't mean you'd actually want to. I also told him I'd ask anyways."

The sallow-skinned man nodded in understanding. The boy's nervousness was obvious in the way he was shifting from foot to foot and the way he was having trouble maintaining eye contact.

Harry felt that Draco was getting his hopes up, but being as young as he was, he couldn't stop himself from wishing it weren't so. So he asked, knowing—or at least assuming—that he wasn't going to get the answer he was looking for.

Severus turned and looked back at his quietly simmering potion, weighing the necessity of finishing it against the importance of discussing Harry's fears. With a sigh, the man realized that his potion would have to wait. If he didn't explain the adoption process to Harry, the boy would continue to wonder what might happen, and dream of what could. He casually flicked his wrist and put the potion under a stasis spell, preventing it from moving on without him.

The man adopted a more genial expression than he normally wore, knowing that the upcoming conversation was going to be difficult and most likely end fairly poorly. "How about we go downstairs and discuss this, hm? I'll make some tea and see if I can't explain the process to you in a way that will make sense. The Wizarding world can be quite complex, and even though you are a brilliant child with a sharp mind, some things just take more effort to understand." He placed his hand briefly on Harry's head and slightly ruffled the boy's already mussed hair. With a slight smile, only barely visible, he preceded the boy down the stairs and into the kitchen.

A few complicated flicks of his wrist later and Severus had a pot on to boil and cups, saucers and tea bags floating out of the cupboards. They all landed with soft sounds on the kitchen table, awaiting the water. The man let out a solemn sigh and steepled his fingers, making sure that Harry was looking at him and not the floor before he began.

"Draco was right about magical adoptions usually being quite easy. In most cases, the person seeking to adopt the magical child simply writes a letter of intent, signed in their blood, and it is processed and approved. In some cases, the process takes longer—say in the case of a child who has several other relatives all seeking custody, or in the case of grandparents vs. stepparents. In few cases, the adoption can take a very long time, or even be denied altogether."

Harry was staring in fascination at Severus while the man was explaining what might happen. Draco hadn't explained much the week before, so all of this information was new and interesting. Severus levitated the pot over to the table and used his wand to pour out two cups of water, releasing the tea's natural aroma into the room. It smelled like jasmine.

"You think that the Ministry will deny your petition for custody." It wasn't a question.

"Yes. I believe that, even if I had the most well written letter of intent, the Ministry would still deny my petition for custody because I am a former Death Eater. The only way that I would be able to gain custody of you would be to either have Dumbledore speaking for me, or petition in another country, though the second option provides it's own set of complications." Both males took cautious sips of their tea, replacing the cups on their saucers when it lightly scalded their tongues.

The small boy asked, "Is there really no other way? What about going through muggle legal channels? Wouldn't it work if you had Aunt Petunia go down to the courthouse with you and sign over her rights directly to you? Wouldn't the Ministry have to let you then?"

Severus smiled softly at how naïve Harry still was. He didn't understand yet that the magical world didn't work as easily as the muggle one did. Everything was more complicated, especially when it came to the hero of the Wizarding world. The usually stoic man's smile turned a little sad when he thought that the naivety couldn't last, and that Harry would learn the hard lessons sooner or later. He just hoped that he'd be there to explain things when that happened.

"Harry, nothing is as simple as it seems. Especially in the Wizarding world. There is a lot of prejudice against people who fought on the wrong side of the war, and even though I was pardoned because I was a spy for Dumbledore, many people still think I belong in Azkaban. I was lucky that Dumbledore believed me to have cut all ties with the Dark Lord when he fell. If it weren't for him speaking out for me, I would surely be rotting in a cell as we speak."

"Like my godfather, Sirius Black?" The bright green eyes dimmed a little and the boy took another tentative sip of his jasmine tea. It was still warm, but cool enough to drink.

"Yes, like Black. He was unlucky. Dumbledore didn't speak up for him like he should have. He didn't save your godfather, and he was the only one who could. No one knows where Wormtail went after his altercation with Black, but most of us Death Eaters know that he was a servant of the Dark Lord. If I had proof, I'd share it with the Ministry and free him."

"But, I thought you didn't like Sirius. He always made fun of you in school, and tried to hurt you. Why would you save him from life in Azkaban?"

A sardonic smirk appeared on Severus' face. "Because, he is probably the only person who actually has a right to your custody. If he weren't in Azkaban, he'd be the one who took care of you. As idiotic as the man used to be, when it comes to you, I'm quite certain he'd be more than capable of meeting your needs—not only the physical, biological ones, but also your emotional needs. For all intents and purposes, he is your last family. I'm positive it was in Lily's will that you should be taken care of by Black or Lupin should anything happen to them."

Harry's eyes glittered with hope. "Could we maybe find mum's will and see who it says should take care of me? I know that Sirius is in prison, but what about Mr. Lupin? And, you said you used to be friends with mum, is there any way that she could have appointed you?"

"No, Harry. Though Lily and I were friends when we were much younger, I pushed her away with my scathing words and my poor choices. Your mother was ever Dumbledore's supporter. She was livid when she found out that I had followed Lucius into service of the Dark Lord. She refused to let me explain my actions, and we never spoke again after that conversation. She never knew that I begged, on pain of death, for the Dark Lord to spare her that night. I don't even know if she would have cared."

The little boy reached as far as he could to pat Severus' hand. He knew that memories of his mother hurt the potions master. It had been four years since her death, and he still couldn't forgive himself for his part in it.

"Severus, I don't blame you for my mum's death. You weren't there, so you couldn't keep her safe. The Dark Lord answers to no one. He is the one who made the choice to kill her, to try and kill me. Your only chance at making it all better now is to do what you can to keep me safe, isn't that what you said?"

He snorted derisively. "Your memory is far too good, Harry. You remember things I'd rather you'd forgotten. Do you understand now why attempting to adopt you isn't a good idea?"

Harry shook his head. He realized that the adoption probably wouldn't go through, but he didn't see the harm in trying. Severus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. With Harry's more advanced maturity level, it was easy for him to forget that the child was still only five. There was only so much he could understand without it spelled out for him.

"What about Mr. Lupin? You said that there was a chance that mum appointed him to look after me in the event that her and dad died, and something happened to Sirius. I don't see why we can't try and have you adopt me, and if it doesn't work, find Mr. Lupin."

"First, Mr. Lupin is a Dark Creature, Harry. The Ministry would be far less likely to give him custody of you than they would me. Second, if you were any other child, attempting to adopt you wouldn't be a bad idea. After all, there is always a chance that they might accept. However, you are not any other child. You are Harry Potter, Boy-Who-Lived. You are the Hero of the Wizarding world, Ender of the Dark Lord. You are very special, and anything that has to do with you automatically makes front-page news. We have been trying to keep your whereabouts secret. Do you remember why?"

The child nodded. "You said before that if no one knows where to _find_ Harry Potter than no on can _harm_ Harry Potter, right? But, what I don't understand is who wants to hurt me?"

"There are still many Death Eaters out there who are unaccounted for. Some of them are still sore that you finished off the Dark Lord. I also have my suspicions about Dumbledore. In the last three or so years that you had been with the Dursleys, he never once checked on you to make sure that they were treating you well. He didn't do a background check on what type of people they were either. It leads me to wonder if he has blind faith in them, or if he simply doesn't care, so long as you aren't in the Wizarding world to be hunted down by Death Eaters."

Small black brows furrowed in confusion and disbelief. "Surely you don't think Headmaster Dumbledore wants to hurt me? Isn't he supposed to be the leader of the Light? Doesn't he stand for unity and hope and goodness and stuff?"

Severus quirked an eyebrow at Harry's word choice, but let it slide. "Yes, Dumbledore is the leader of the Light. However, that does not mean that he has to be good all the time. He simply has to be better than the Dark. The Dark Lord is known for mercilessly killing people, torturing muggles and brutally punishing his servants. So long as Dumbledore _acts_ like he cares about everyone, then people will _think_ that he cares for everyone. When it comes to you, out of sight, out of mind. If you aren't in the Wizarding world, then what happens to you won't be common knowledge. No one will know if your relatives beat you, or if you were starved within an inch from death. And if they don't know, Dumbledore doesn't have to be held accountable."

"But that makes it sound like it's his master plan to have me suffer, and not only suffer, but suffer in silence, away from prying eyes. Like…like some kind of muggle serial killer. But, it doesn't make sense. He's supposed to care." Tears were forming in the jeweled green eyes of the little boy, and Severus very much wanted to hold him and make the tears stop. However, his pride stopped him from doing it. He had a reputation to maintain, and if one child believed him to be nice, soon all children were going to expect the same behavior.

"Don't think too much about it. The point of this whole discussion was to explain to you why I cannot petition the Ministry for custody of you. It would alert Dumbledore that you are no longer residing with Petunia, and he would swoop down on us faster than you can say 'boomslang skin.' I wouldn't be able to protect you anymore if that were to happen. So, for now, we must go on like this."

Harry nodded slowly, showing he understood. He didn't like it, and he was worried that Headmaster Dumbledore could still come and take him away at any moment, but he understood that Severus just couldn't be the one to adopt him. In a last ditch effort to give himself more security, Harry asked his last set of questions.

"What about Lord and Lady Malfoy? Could they petition for me?"

Severus' eyes widened in shock. It seemed that while they boy had said he understood, he had missed the central theme of the conversation. The potions master pinched the bridge of his nose before taking a long pull on his tea. He would have to make sure the boy understood the full implications of _anyone_ petitioning for custody of him.

"Harry, I need you to listen to me very carefully. It is not simply dangerous for _me_ to petition the Ministry for custody of you, it is dangerous for _anyone_ to petition. The majority of the Wizarding world knows you exist, but not where to find you. The Ministry would be very cautious about who they allowed to adopt the savior, and when word got out that one person wanted to adopt you; there would be a frenzy of people vying for the honor. Everyone would want to own the savior, be in charge of his upbringing. There might even be some Death Eaters that tried to coerce others into petitioning for you just so that they could control you. There would be no way to keep the process quiet, and so no way to prevent the uproar and danger that the whole situation presents. I'm afraid that unless Dumbledore endorses someone, or Sirius is found innocent, you cannot be adopted."

At those last four words, Harry began to cry in earnest. It was hopeless, utterly hopeless. He would never belong to a family that loved him. He'd never be safe from the Dursleys. He'd have to hide from Dumbledore forever, which meant that he couldn't even go to Hogwarts when the time came. It wasn't fair.

Severus couldn't take it anymore. Reputation be damned, he was going to comfort the child that stole his heart. Harry was his last remaining link to Lily, and it seemed like a betrayal of her memory to let the boy suffer on his own. He slid out of his chair and knelt before Harry, pulling the small sobbing boy into his arms.

"Ssh, Harry, it will be all right. I won't let anyone take you away. I'll protect you from Dumbledore, and anyone else who says I'm not fit to keep you. I will do anything and everything within my power to make sure you are safe. Tomorrow we'll make a trip to Little Whinging and make Petunia sign over her legal guardianship to me. Even if I can't petition the Ministry, I can petition the muggle courts. And if we have to hide in the muggle world to keep Albus from taking you, I'll gladly do it. You are too important to me to let go of you now."

The man and boy held on to each other for what seemed like hours, both releasing tears at the thought of being ripped from each other. Harry was happy, too, that Severus was willing to do whatever it took to keep him. He felt like he finally found someone who loved him, someone who would keep him safe. Severus was determined not to fail Lily a second time. He would keep her son safe and make sure the boy knew he was loved. He would do anything for the memory of Lily.

TBC


	4. Chapter 3

**Title:** What Lies Beneath

**Author: **Araēa Swiftwind

**Pairing: **Harry/Draco, Ron/Hermione, Neville/Luna

**Rating:** M as precaution

**Warnings:**Language, adult themes, AU, slight OOC, slightly against Dumbledore, slight Weasley bashing, Hermione bashing, pureblood idealism, evolution of feelings in preteens and the discovery of sexual activities by minors, and probably some other stuff I haven't through of yet. You have been warned.

**Notes:** I want to thank you all so much for reviewing my story. I didn't realize that this story was going to be so popular; I really started writing it for myself, because I wanted to see what happened. I'm glad you all have taken such a liking to it, though. Love it when my readers are happy. :D P.S. Sorry it took me so long to update. Because of my extreme forgetfulness, you got two updates at once, and should be getting the next chapter soon (in maybe a week.)

** Chapter Three **

Harry had been legally living with Severus now for almost two months and Severus was facing a dilemma. He now had full legal custody of Harry in the muggle world, but not in the Wizarding world. The issue was whether to stay with Harry, in hiding, or pretend like nothing had changed and leave for Hogwarts. Severus was torn. He truly didn't wish to leave Harry, as the boy had grown on him in the time they'd been together. However, he didn't see life on the run as a viable option for raising a young child. Not knowing what else to do, he took Harry to Malfoy Manor so that he could council with Lucius.

The potions master helped Harry out of the floo and quickly dusted him off. When a house elf came to direct the child to the garden where Draco was "practicing" his broom-riding skills, he gave the small boy a tight hug, as if he'd never see him again. It was embarrassing, to say the least, to be so open with his emotions in front of his friend; however, he felt as though there was nothing else he could do. Harry simply meant too much to him.

"Severus, I see that these past months as a parent have changed you; you've gone soft."

"Lucius, it's no surprise that you are unfamiliar with the level of devotion I have for Harry. You see your son as a given, an inevitability, and as a right as Lord Malfoy. I see Harry as a gift, a privilege, and a reward for loving his mother as much as I did. I also see him as a second chance, to right the wrongs of the past. It is only natural that I have a greater attachment to him than you do to your own son. So, call me soft if you will. It matters naught to me."

The blonde aristocrat delicately raised a single eyebrow and gave Severus a look, which was to say, "If you say so, however, I still believe this behavior entirely inappropriate of a man of your station. But do as you will." Severus would have been shocked that a single look could say so much, but he had been friends with Lucius and Narcissa long enough to know that it could say a lot more.

"I did not come here to bicker about parenting techniques, Lucius. I came for your council. I am facing a dilemma, and while I'm sure you'll have a quick answer, I fear that I may have trouble letting go."

Lucius walked over to a pair of matching wingbacks and sat, indicating that Severus should do the same. Once both men were comfortably seated and a house elf brought them brandy, the older man nodded for his friend to explain the problem.

Severus sighed and began. "The issue is, of course, with Harry. I realize that we agreed some months ago to have him reside here with you while I was away at Hogwarts. However, now that things have changed and my fondness for the boy has grown, I am loath to leave him. I fear that while I am away, something dire may happen to him. He may need me. If I am to shirk my duties at Hogwarts, on the other hand, Albus will surely know something is amiss and may come to investigate. Should he discover that I have Harry in my care…" the man trailed off, as he knew Lucius would know where he was going with his statement.

It was true that this was a dilemma. Should he give in to his selfish desires, or should he do as duty demands and leave the boy he cared so deeply about? Lucius felt as though duty always came before love. It was why he had married Narcissa, it was why he had Draco, and it was why he had served the Dark Lord. Duty was tantamount to everything. If you shirked that, you weren't fit to be a pureblood.

"Severus, I am certain you know my answer."

The dour man's face fell and he closed his eyes tight, attempting to reign in his emotions. It was all so much. He knew that the wisest option was to leave Harry with Lucius. He knew it in his mind, but his heart told him to never let the boy from his sight. As he was struggling with the choice, he did something he hadn't done in many years. He prayed.

Lily, please show me what to do. I love your son as if he were my own. I don't wish to see him hurt. But, is it really better to leave him with Lucius than to take him and hide?

He wasn't expecting an answer. He knew that he was asking his own subconscious. But, whether he was expecting an answer or not, he received one.

Yes.

"If I leave with Harry today, I will not bring him back. So, I must leave before he knows I am going. He will most likely hate me for a time, but perhaps when the time is right, you can explain to him why I had to go. It will be much too hard if I hold him in my arms as he weeps. Do not let any harm come to my son, Lucius, or I will kill you."

Lucius nodded and stood, ushering the man to the hearth. It was cold, the flames not yet lit. He handed the dark-haired man the floo powder pot and waited for him to take a pinch before setting the pot back on the mantle.

"I will take care of him as if he were my own. You can rest assured that no harm will befall him while in my care. I so swear on my magic that your son will be safe until you return." The magic of the vow coalesced and draped itself around Lucius' shoulders, proving that he meant every word he spoke. Severus nodded in understanding and left, the flames shooting up emerald green before dying down again.

Draco and Harry calmly strolled into the room only moments after Severus departed. Harry's eyes eagerly scanned the room for his guardian, but did not find him. His brows wrinkled and he looked again, thinking perhaps that he simply missed him the first time around. When his second inspection turned out the same as the first, the jeweled green eyes began to water. His father wasn't sitting in the room with Lord Malfoy. He wasn't there. Harry tried to calm himself by thinking; _He's in the loo. It's as simple as that. Don't worry, Harry, he'll come out any second and you'll head home together. There is absolutely nothing to worry about._

He waited in silence for several moments, long after Draco had taken a seat in the second wingback chair, long after Lord Malfoy went back to sipping his brandy, and long after he knew his father wasn't coming back. Harry's little heart broke at the realization that he had been abandoned without a word. Again. Severus had left him just like Aunt Petunia had left him, just like his parents had left him. He was alone, in a house full of strangers. The emerald green light in Harry's eyes dimmed into a matt finish. He was broken, and it was all Severus' fault.

Lucius began to grow concerned when Harry didn't ask where Severus had gone. The boy was simply standing just inside the door, looking more forlorn the more time that passed. He said nothing. After many long, tense moments, Lucius looked back over to the young child he was supposed to be guarding. The once-bright jade eyes had dulled into a flat mossy color. There was no life in those eyes. Only the emptiness of a child that's had all of his worst fears confirmed.

The man quickly left his seat and walked over to the boy, kneeling down so that he was at eye level. He placed his large hands on each of the child's shoulders, letting him know that someone was there. There was no response in those lifeless eyes.

"Harry," Lucius called softly. The raven-haired savior didn't respond. "Harry." The call was louder this time; still no response. He turned his head to the side and spoke to his son. "Draco."

The small blonde boy jumped from his seat and made his way quickly over to his new friend. He could see why his father was worried; there was no light, no life, in Harry's eyes. The boy looked like an inferi; only human on the outside. Draco unknowingly let out a whimper of fear, afraid for his closest friend. That whimper was the only thing that got a response out of Harry.

He extricated himself from Lucius' grasp and walked over to Draco, wrapping his arms around the slightly taller boy. His eyes closed as he held on tightly. Draco's own eyes widened in shock, but he held Harry just as tightly, refusing to let this broken boy out of his grasp until he was sure he was all right. In that moment, Harry's pain lessened just the smallest amount and he thought that as long as he still had Draco, everything might turn out all right.

Lucius watched the exchange with critical eyes. He had taught the boy that feelings were a weakness; that showing your true emotions was tantamount to asking to be used. Draco knew that his behavior was a disgrace to the name Malfoy, but when it came to Harry, he just didn't care. Pureblood rules and politics had no place with the Boy-Who-Lived. When it came to Harry, if you didn't wear your heart on your sleeve, he'd assume you didn't have one.

"Boys, I think it would be best if you went upstairs and got ready for supper. Draco, loan Harry something to wear." The two youngsters nodded to Lucius—well, at least Draco nodded. Harry had no expression, so Lucius couldn't be sure the boy even heard. However, he followed Draco out of the room, so he thought it a victory.

It wasn't long after the boys went upstairs to change that Narcissa glided into the room, looking lovely as always. Noting the troubled look on her husband's face, she went to his side—he was still kneeling in the middle of the study floor.

"Lucius, what is wrong?" The concern in her voice snapped Lucius out of whatever musings he had been trapped in.

"Cissa. Severus came with Harry. He sought my council on the matter of the boy's placement during the time that Severus should be at Hogwarts. He wondered if it might not be better for him to shirk his duty at the school to stay with young Mr. Potter. I informed him, of course, that duty must always come first. However, I am now rethinking that stance."

"And why might that be, darling? Is it not a man's place to do as duty dictates?"

"Not in this case, Cissa. You did not see the light die in young Harry's eyes when he realized that Severus left him. He looked so betrayed, and then it was if he had died right in front of me. I don't know how we can ever explain this so that he understands. He clings to Draco, as if our son is his only constant. I fear that if something were to prevent Draco from being at Harry's side, he might break completely."

Narcissa lifted her chin and looked off into the cold fireplace. "Then, isn't the remedy simple? Have Severus come back at once, and tell Harry that he simply had to leave for a time to get things ready for their departure. I'm sure the boy will understand, and the light will come back to his eyes."

Lucius sighed and kissed his wife's hand, which had been resting on his shoulder. "I don't think it is that simple, my dear. Harry has already convinced himself that Severus has abandoned him. And while yes, it hasn't been that long since Severus left, no one has told Harry that he will be right back. No one allayed his fears, and so should Severus return now, it will be quite difficult to convince the boy he hadn't meant to leave permanently."

The blonde woman's aristocratic blue eyes pierced into her husband's steely grey ones. "Are you so weak willed, Lucius, that you will not even try? Will you not attempt to mend the poor boy's broken soul?"

Her husband stood up quickly and gracefully. "Of course not. I shall send for Severus at once. I am simply informing you of my doubts on the functionality of this plan. Harry is not any normal child. It is not so easy to lead him to believe what you wish him to believe. He will come to his own conclusions, and there is nothing we can do to influence that conclusion at all. I wish you to be prepared for that eventuality."

She nodded and her eyes softened. "You care for him, do you not?"

He inclined his head. "I do. I fear, however, that I may be on the verge of breaking my vow to Severus."

Thin, delicate blonde eyebrows rose towards meticulously quaffed hair. "And what vow might that be?"

"I vowed that Harry would be safe until Severus' return. And while he is currently physically safe, I fear that any more jolts to the boy's fragile mental state might put him in danger. If that were to happen…"

"You will lose your magic, and possibly even your life." Narcissa finished for her spouse. His mouth was set in a grim line. Things were perched precariously, and if something didn't change for the better, Lucius would be the reason the savior of the Wizarding world was broken, irreparably. He could not have that on his conscience.

The Lord and Lady Malfoy moved as one to the hearth, Lord Malfoy throwing in the floo powder and Lady Malfoy calling out the house number on Spinner's End. They waited with baited breath for Severus to come to the floo. It only took a minute or two, but to them, it felt like an eternity. When his head finally appeared in the emerald flames, they collectively released the breath they had been holding.

"Severus," Narcissa breathed.

"It's Harry," Lucius finished.

In seconds, the man was through the fireplace and standing in the study of Malfoy Manner once again. "Where is he?"

They pointed up the stairs and said collectively, "With Draco, in his room."

The man rushed from the room, thinking that the worst had happened. He had no idea what might be wrong with Harry, but his mind was spinning scenes of broken bones, a bloody corpse, a mangled mass of quivering flesh. He prayed most fervently, _Please, let him be all right!_

He mounted the stairs two at a time and rushed down the hall towards his godson's room. He found the door slightly ajar and hesitated not a bit in entering the boy's chambers. Draco was sitting calmly on his bed, Harry lying next to him with his dark head in the blonde's lap.

"Harry," Severus breathed, relieved that his son was not a mangled body.

At the sound of his name in that voice, Harry's body twitched. His eyes opened slowly, as if he wasn't sure he actually heard the sound or not, but was afraid to hope that he had. Once his eyes were completely opened, he took in the form of his father standing in the doorway. There were tears in the man's obsidian eyes, pain and relief etched clearly across his features.

"Harry, thank God you are safe. I never should have left you, even for a moment. I'm sorry, so sorry. Please, Harry, come here." There was hope and longing on the man's face now. He wished so much that Harry would get off the bed and run into his arms. He wanted to wrap his warm embrace around the boy and never let go again. He had known, in some part of himself, that leaving was a mistake. The relationship was too knew, the trust too fragile. Harry needed him, and now was not a good time to be away.

Harry simply stared at Severus, only partially wanting to run to the man. The larger part of himself wished for the apparition to go away, to leave him again so that he didn't have to feel the agony of separation a second time. He didn't need this man who tried to call himself "father." All he needed was Draco, the boy who called himself "friend." Draco would never leave him.

"Please," the pleading voice of Severus whispered across the room. Such desperation. _I can't have failed, not yet. Please, God, don't let me be too late._

Draco ran his small hands through his friend's hair, torn. He wanted Severus and Harry to be happy again, wanted the boy to have his father back. But he also wanted Harry to need him. He was selfish, wanting the boy all to himself. If he had no one else to love, no one else to love him, then he wouldn't ever leave Draco. He would need Draco, like no one else needed him.

Several tense moments passed where no one spoke. Severus stood in the doorway, heart yearning to hold his son. Harry lay on the bed, head cradled in Draco's lap, wishing he could get up like nothing had changed and run to his father. And Draco sat on the edge of his bed, carding his hands through Harry's dark, messy hair, wondering what the right thing to do was.

The potions master fell to his knees as the tears began to fall silently. He had failed. His son, Harry, no longer wanted anything to do with him. He had moved on, in such a short amount of time. Severus was obsolete. His heart broke, knowing he wouldn't get another chance to make up for his part in Lily's death. But now, there was one more strike against him. Harry hated him, and he had failed.

Draco paled, seeing for the first time, his godfather on his knees, weeping for the son that had rejected his apology. This wasn't supposed to happen. Severus was strong; he wasn't supposed to cry. Even though he wasn't a pureblood, he had been raised with the same principles. Emotions are weakness, and weakness is unacceptable. Hide how you really feel lest those feelings be used against you. The five year old couldn't take it anymore. He looked down at Harry and stilled his fingers.

"Harry, look at him. If he weren't sorry, then he wouldn't be on his knees now. Have you ever seen him like this?"

Harry barely responded, his eyes panning up from the floor to look at his father. The man looked utterly boken. He had no pride left; his soul was bare for Harry to see. He hadn't meant to hurt the man. He didn't want to see his guarding crying.

"But, he left me…" the words were whispered, soft enough that Draco only barely heard them.

"But he came back," was the whispered reply.

Draco was right. He had come back. He had come back quickly and begged for forgiveness. He had fallen to his knees and cried, when he had always put on a stoic façade before. He was hurting and his soul was lain bare for all to see. And in the midst of the pain and desperation, Harry could see the love. Love for him, and love for his mother.

He sat up slowly before slipping quietly off the bed. He padded over to his father and wrapped his little arms around the man's neck. He didn't know if he could trust him or not, but he wanted to try.

"Papa?"

Severus' eyes widened and his arms automatically wrapped around the small frame of the boy in front of him. Harry had come to him. He had come of his own free will and wrapped his arms around the man. He had called him "papa" without being asked. It was a miracle.

"Harry?" There was a note of uncertainty in the man's voice. He didn't know if this were real or a dream. He didn't know if he should hope for forgiveness, of if this hug was to say goodbye. So many emotions were warring within him, he wasn't sure what to think. He needed Harry to tell him what to believe.

The five-year-old's arms tightened around the desperate man and he nuzzled his little face into his neck. He wasn't quite ready to forget what had happened, but if the man explained everything, then maybe things could go back to the way there were.

"Take me home?" No three words had sounded as sweet to Severus as those three did at that moment. He nodded and scooped the child up in his arms. He had made a mistake in leaving Harry with Lucius, but it would never happen again. He didn't know what the future would hold for him and Harry, but he knew that he'd be able to get through it, as long as he had the little boy at his side.

"Of course, Harry. I love you."

The emerald green eyes flared back to life, happiness filling the child at those words. He had never said them before, and he wasn't sure if he'd ever say them again.

"I love you, too."


	5. Chapter 4

**Title:** Left For You

**Author: **Araēa Swiftwind

**Pairing: **Harry/Draco, Ron/Hermione, Neville/Luna

**Rating:** M as precaution

**Warnings:**Language, adult themes, AU, slight OOC, slightly against Dumbledore, slight Weasley bashing, Hermione bashing, pure-blood idealism, evolution of feelings in preteens and the discovery of sexual activities by minors, and probably some other stuff I haven't through of yet. You have been warned.

**A/N:** So, this is the last of my prewritten chapter, so there is probably going to be a fairly long wait for the next chapter. Chapter 5 is about half written right now, but at the beginning of next month, my internet will be cut off for a month or two-so, I won't be able to send all of you lovelies anything until it comes back on. I hope you can all be patient, and I promise the next chapter will be well worth the wait. (If you're lucky, I'll have more than just Chapter 5 finished by then, and you'll get a two-for-one chapter deal.)

**Chapter Four**

"Are you sure it's okay to be in here, Draco?" The young boy whispered, his hand fisted in his friend's cloak.

"Don't be stupid, Harry. If course it's not. That's why we're sneaking. Just be quiet so we don't get caught."

Harry trembled and held on tighter. He hated breaking the rules, even if it were for an adventure. Or maybe most especially if it were for an adventure. Severus had spent five long years coaching Harry in proper behavior for a boy who would spend the rest of his life in the spotlight. Hours upon hours a day, Harry had to listen to lectures about etiquette, decorum, proper dress, Wizarding society, and magical theory. He thought that his head would explode by the time Severus finally deemed him ready for his debut into the magical community.

And now, just weeks before he and Draco were to be off to Hogwarts, the blonde prat had come up with this brilliant plan. They were sneaking through Malfoy Manner, looking for some sort of magical artifact that Draco was certain his father had hidden up in the attic. He hadn't told Harry what this artifact was supposed to do, only that it was really cool and definitely worth risking a caning.

The raven-haired savior disagreed, but couldn't stay behind. For the last five and a half years, Harry and Severus had been living at Malfoy Manner with Lucius, Narcissa and Draco. Severus had shirked his duty as Potions Professor at Hogwarts so that he didn't have to leave Harry's side. Headmaster Dumbledore was angry at first, but Severus convinced him that he needed a sabbatical, or else he'd wind up murdering all of the "incompetent dunderheads" before breakfast the second day. After that, Dumbledore accepted Severus' need for leave and left the man alone—for the most part. Once ever three or four months he contacted Severus to make sure the man was certain he wasn't ready to come back to school.

It wasn't until about a year previous that he discussed with Harry his returning to Hogwarts. The boy was nervous, but felt that he was old enough to accept his father's leaving. The whole house gathered for a meeting, two weeks before September the first, and hammered down the details of what would happen. Once they all came to an accord, Severus left for the nine-month school year at Hogwarts and Harry stayed at the Manor with the rest of the family. It wasn't so bad, and the second year Severus had to leave, it was no trouble at all for Harry to let go.

A loose floorboard squeaked and Harry heard Draco hold his breath and pause for a count of ten. When no other sounds were forthcoming, he continued on. Harry shook his head to clear the cobwebs of memory from the forefront of his mind so that he could focus on the task at hand. He might not want to be there, but he'd be damned if he let his inability to concentrate gain them a caning.

"It's should be just up ahead here, Harry. Duck low, so you don't hit the ceiling," Draco whispered over his shoulder.

Harry nodded, though it was only belatedly that he remembered that Draco couldn't see him. "Yeah, ok," he whispered back.

Truly only a few more meters ahead was a narrow door set into a brick wall. The door was barely tall enough to admit the young wizards, even with them on their hands and knees, and scarcely wide enough for them to shimmy inside. But make it they did, and once beyond the mysterious door; they came face to face with their prize.

Harry's mouth opened in shock and dismay. They had traversed the Manor, risked a caning, and dirtied their clothes, all for a mirror. It was small, barely large enough to show Draco's head and shoulders, and was fairly plain. The frame itself was plain silver, a bit tarnished at the edges, and the glass was wavy with age near the bottom.

"Draco," Harry whispered harshly. "We came all this way for a ruddy mirror? There's one in every bathroom in the Manor, and three in your room."

Draco rolled his eyes at his companion and let out an undignified scoff. "You can be so thick sometimes. This obviously isn't just any mirror. This is a special, magical, mirror."

"And what's so special about that? All of the mirrors in the Manor are magical." Harry retorted scathingly. He was angry, now, that they'd gone through so much trouble for a stupid mirror. He could have spent the last several hours studying for his classes, or grooming his owl.

The blonde aristocrat turned and smacked Harry. "You are such a prat. Do you honestly believe I'd risk a caning by my father for some run-of-the-mill mirror? I'm not that stupid, _Potter_." Harry knew he had hit a sore spot when Draco sneered his last name. He was only called "Potter" when Draco was quite angry with him, which usually only happened when Harry accidentally impugned his honor.

Three weeks after Harry's birthday, Severus, Lucius, Harry and Draco went on a shopping trip to Diagon Alley. This was Harry's first time in the Wizarding world and, while he knew about Eeylops Owl Emporium and Flourish and Blotts, it was quite another thing to see a shop full of pet owls. Draco kept elbowing Harry, reminding him that they were in public and respectable wizards don't gape, but Harry conveniently ignored him.

Severus and Lucius both were tense, hoping that no one would be foolish enough to accost a child. While Draco was perfectly safe, Harry was the savior of the Wizarding world. It would be just their luck if he were lured away by some old Voldemort supporter or someone thinking to take him to Dumbledore.

The potions master had received a letter a few weeks previous from Albus Dumbledore informing him that Harry was not with his Muggle relatives, and was therefore missing. Severus told the man that he would be sure to keep an eye out for the boy, and notify him immediately if the raven was located. Of course, it was an out and out lie. Severus had no intention of revealing to the headmaster that Harry had been living with him, at least not until the welcoming feast on September the first.

Harry was dragging Draco around to as many of the shops as he could until Severus came up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. The eager eleven year old looked up at his father and instantly sobered. He had forgotten the lesson about constant vigilance. Someone might want to do him harm, and it would be best if he stayed near his father.

"I apologize, Severus. I should have been more focused. It shan't happen again."

Severus inclined his head. "See that it doesn't. The same goes for you, Draco. Just because someone else has lost his head doesn't mean you should go losing yours with him."

Draco looked down, properly admonished. "I apologize, Severus. My lapse in judgment is deplorable. It shan't happen again."

Both Severus and Lucius nodded and the group continued down the Alley. Lucius led them into Ollivander's first, thinking it best to start at the top of the Alley and work their way back to the Leaky Cauldron. Harry and Draco entered alone and spent approximately thirty minutes trying out wands before they left with ones that suited them perfectly.

After Ollivander's it was off to Madam Malkin's for a new set of school robed for each boy, and then Flourish and Blotts for school books. Following a quick stop in to the stationary shop, the group broke up. Severus and Harry went to Eeylops to get both boys a new post owl, and Lucius and Draco went on to the cauldron shop and apothecary to get the remaining school supplies.

In Eeylops, Harry was captivated by all of the different colored birds. The tawny owls had such lovely eyes, and the screech owls had very lovely feathers, but the owl that Harry fell in love with was a Snow. When he looked at her, he felt a kinship and understanding he'd hardly even felt with most people.

"Severus, I'd like to get her. She seems like the perfect companion, and strong enough to handle post. I think I'll call her Hedwig." Harry beamed up at his father, and Severus simply couldn't say no, not that he wanted to.

"Go on and choose one for Draco as well. Something sleek and sophisticated. You know how prissy he can be."

"Yes, Severus." Harry moved on down the line of cages, leaving Severus and Hedwig to wait at the front of the shop. It was in a back corner that Harry found an owl he thought would be perfect for his friend.

Sitting in a cage several inches from all of the other cages was a pure white owl. It had a frame around its face and looked very different from Hedwig, who Harry knew was a snowy owl. As Harry was inspecting this owl he was certain to buy, a girl came up behind him.

"That's a Tyto Alba, or Western Barn Owl. Usually they have brown or orange colored feathers on their back and wings, but this one seems to be all white. It's a bit of an anomaly, not like the rest of the owls. If you're going for something flashy, I recommend a brown spotted owl or a snowy owl. They tend to stand out more."

Harry turned around to stare at the bossy-sounding busybody. He hadn't asked her about the owl and was rather irritated that she'd taken it upon herself to educate him. He turned his nose up at her and grabbed the cage.

"I believe this _Tyto_ will be perfect. If you'll excuse me?" Harry didn't wait for the girl to move out of his way; he simply shoved past her and made his way to the register.

"How rude!" The girl stated once he was out of earshot. She turned the opposite direction and flounced away to look at more owls.

At the register, Harry placed the Tyto next to Hedwig. He turned to his father and asked, "Don't you think this barn owl with be a lovely gift for Draco? It's striking, and according to a busybody at the other end of the shop, it's abnormal. Even though he's the same color as Hedwig, they don't really look anything alike, so it's not like we'll get them mixed up. Oh, but they do match beautifully."

Severus quirked a brow at how worked up Harry was getting over an owl, but said nothing. Far be it from him to ruin the boy's good mood. They made their way out of the shop and down the Alley towards the Leaky Cauldron. Lucius and Draco were standing outside of the apothecary. Both were still as statues, neither looking around like the common people beside them.

Once Harry and Severus came near enough the Draco and Lucius could see them from their peripherals, Draco turned his head. When his eyes lit on the owl cages, a small smile graced his lips. Harry waited until he was at Draco's elbow before speaking.

"I had a lovely time inside of Eeylops. Right away I found Hedwig, and I knew she was the owl for me. She's very lovely and seems incredibly intelligent. I sent Severus off to the register with her while I looked around for one that will compliment you. It took some time, but then I found this Tyto. Isn't he the best?" Harry was beaming full force, so happy with the owl he found. Draco couldn't help himself; he smiled back at the beautiful boy.

"Yes, this Tyto is rather lovely. But I'm sure they didn't call it a Tyto in the shop. How did you learn its name?" Draco asked a bit puzzled. He knew that Harry wasn't the best at the natural sciences, especially with his lack of enthusiasm for potions.

"Oh, Dray, you should have seen the busybody in the shop. She had bushy brown hair; it looked like a tumbleweed. While I was looking at your owl, she came up behind me and started rattling off all of this information about owls, and she practically called this one a freak. After that, I had to get him."

Draco's face quickly sported a frown. He hated anyone who used that word now, save Harry. And how dare a stupid unkempt girl nose her way into Harry's business. Draco instantly disliked her. While the two adults and two children were deciding where to go next, a troupe of people came down the street toward them, or at least toward the Leaky Cauldron. Harry noticed the bushy-haired girl in with the pack of redheads and discreetly pointed her out to Draco.

"Dray," the boy whispered, "that's the girl. That one there, in the midst of all those redheads."

The blonde looked over and took note of the gaggle of wizards and the three witches with them. One witch was older with red hair, one witch was quite young, also with red hair, and the last witch was the one Harry had mentioned, with bushy mouse-brown hair. Draco recognized the family name of the red haired family immediately. They were the Weasleys, blood traitors all. They consorted with muggles, loved muggles, and thought that all wizards should be open to the idea of marrying muggles. If they had their way, the wizarding line would be wiped out by dilution of pure bloodlines.

"Those are the Weasleys, Harry. You should recognize the name from our lessons with Tutor Ashecombe. They are blood traitors. And I'll bet anything that the bushy-haired girl is either a half-blood or worse, a muggleborn. I don't recognize her from any pure-blood family, not to mention that no pure-bloods—at least pure-bloods that aren't blood traitors—would let their children run around looking as atrocious as that girl does."

Harry gasped. "A mudblood, are you sure? I suppose I can see it. She doesn't hold herself like a pure-blood, and she seems a bit dumpier than even a half-blood. Should we ask father to confirm, or just leave it be? I'm sure we'll see her at Hogwarts."

Draco paused for a moment to think, and during that time the group of wizards and witched entered the Leaky Cauldron, leaving the Alley. "Well, I suppose that solves it for us. Let's just get Uncle Severus and Father to take us to Fortescue's. I could really do with something cool about now. This summer heat is atrocious."

The black-haired wizard smiled smugly. "I feel as cool as a spring day. You really should look into cooling charms, Dray. They are dead useful."

About to smack his friend upside the head, Draco stopped when he received a look from his father. _Malfoys do not behave like heathens in public, Draco,_ the blonde recited to himself. Straightening his posture, Draco lightly ribbed Harry, reminding him to do the same. Once Lucius was satisfied that both boys were once again behaving appropriately, he turned to Severus.

"Do you believe the boys have behaved well enough to warrant a trip to Fortescue's, or should we make them wait until they get home to have a treat?"

Severus thought for a moment, then looked at his son. The smile on the boy's face was almost enough to break his façade and make the man smile as well, but only just. He stiffened his back and said imperiously, "I believe they can both wait. They may have a small snack while they pack their trunks for the train. I believe they deserve at least that."

Lucius inclined his head and grabbed on to Draco while Severus took hold of Harry. They disapparated on the spot and landed just outside the gates of Malfoy Manor. It was only a brisk walk from the gates to get to the front door.

Harry had never been on the outside of Malfoy Manor before, so when he spotted the pure white peacocks roaming the lawn, he pointed. "What is _that_?"

All three of Harry's companions turned to find out what Harry was pointing at. When Draco realized it was only a peacock, he began to laugh heartily. "Oh, Harry…haven't you ever seen a _peacock_ before?"

A frown grew on Harry's face. He hated it when people acted like he was stupid because he didn't know what something was. Kids at school had been doing it to him for the last six years, and he was sure that this wouldn't be the end of it. It wasn't Harry's fault that he lived a sheltered life, always hidden away for fear of someone taking him away from his father.

His tone turned icy cold when he responded to Draco. "Excuse me, _Your Highness_. Forgive me for being shocked by and _abnormal_ peacock. I'm sorry I'm not familiar with your poncey pets." Harry turned towards his Father. "I think I'd rather head home now, Father."

Severus was poised to be concerned, but when he noted the steely quality of Harry's eyes, he rethought his reaction. Draco had gone too far today and it was in the boy's best interest if he didn't consort further with Harry. He'd calm down eventually, but Draco would have a lot of groveling to do before he was forgiven.

"Lucius, Draco." The potions master gave each a short bow before disapparating with Harry, landing them both in the back garden of their home on Spinner's End.

Harry headed straight inside and up the stairs, and Severus could hear his door slam closed a moment later. He sighed. Draco had a bad habit of using his Slytherin talents and cutting tongue on Harry, when he should be using them to _protect_ Harry.

Severus sighed and placed the purchases and Hedwig in the parlor. He figured when Harry calmed down he'd want to get at them, and the parlor seemed like the most logical place. With a quick flick of his want, he enlarged all of the shrunken packages. He then went into the hall closet and pulled out a large steamer trunk for Harry to use while at school.

With another sigh the men went into the library. He walked briskly to the far wall and tapped his wand three times against the middle panel. That part of the wall rotated and a wet bar was revealed. Severus had to magically hide the bar so that Harry couldn't get into it when he was older. If the boy never knew the bar existed, he wouldn't be tempted to try and find out how to get into it.

The dour man made himself a brandy and sat in his favorite armchair. He summoned the ottoman from across the room and the book he was last reading and propped up his feet. He'd let Harry come down and talk to him when the boy was ready. Until then, he'd finish this book on radical potions theory that he'd been working on for the last several weeks.

Upstairs, in Harry's bedroom, the boy was throwing a little fit. He was so sick and tired of being sheltered all the time. He didn't understand why he couldn't go out like other children. He realized that his father was worried about him being kidnapped or something, but he didn't understand why it was such a big deal.

Sure, Severus had explained to Harry why he was famous. But that didn't explain why Harry still wasn't safe anywhere. It was as if Severus was afraid of something more than he told Harry. The green-eyed boy squared his shoulders. He was going to get answers, and he was going to get them now.

He stormed out of his room, allowing the door to bang loudly against the wall, and stomped down the stairs. Harry was certain that Severus would know he was coming, and probably have an admonishment on his lips as soon as he entered the library. But Harry didn't really care. Enough was enough, and it was time for his father to answer some questions.

"Why am I a caged bird, father?" Harry didn't even begin with pleasantries, and Severus noticed. The boy was angry, but oddly, he seemed angry at him.

"What do you mean, Harry? You aren't a bird, nor are you caged."

"If I'm not caged, then how come I can't go outside and play in the park like the other children? Why can't I go anywhere without you right there at my side? Why couldn't I explore Diagon Alley?" Harry's eyes were hard and devoid of their usual happy sparkle.

Severus sighed. It was time to explain everything fully to Harry. He knew the boy was smart, but he didn't know if this was something so easily understood.

"Harry, do you remember six years ago when I took you down to the Muggle county offices and adopted you from your aunt?" Severus began. The boy nodded, not sure what this had to do with anything. Severus continued. "Well, I only legally adopted you in the Muggle world. As far as England as a whole is concerned, I am your father. However, things are done a bit differently there. You see, in order for the majority of the Wizarding world to be satisfied that I am your legal guardian; I'd have to petition my case before the Wizengamot.

"Now, normally this is simply a formality and it's not a big deal. However, in our case it's different. You are the Boy-Who-Lived, while I am a former Death Eater. Many members of the Wizengamot would be dead set against me legally adopting you."

Harry interrupted. "But, shouldn't you already be my legal guardian in the Wizarding world since you have documentation from the Muggle world saying that I'm legally yours?"

Severus sighed. "That only works with blood relations, Harry, and even then they can be disputed if there is just cause. Say, if you were still with your aunt and uncle. If someone from with Wizarding world didn't think they were fit guardians, then they could contest that someone else in the Wizarding world should take care of you instead. That person would have to go before the Wizengamot, as would your aunt and uncle, and they'd have a custody battle. The Wizengamot would vote, and you'd either be left with your aunt and uncle, who would then have magical legal custody over you, or you'd be placed with the petitioner until such a time as another magical family petitioned to take you. It's quite the involved process.

"Since I am not biologically your father, much as I wish that could be different, I must petition the Wizengamot to recognize my status as your guardian before someone else petitions against me. If you were any other child—say Draco, even—it wouldn't be that big of a deal. I'd just go before the court, declare that I have papers proving I'm fit to be your guardian, then they'd vote. Nine times out of ten, that's all it takes.

"But it's that one time out of ten that makes this tricky. Like I said, since I am a former Death Eater—whether I was found innocent due to my spy status or not—most people are going to look at that as me not being fit to be your guardian. It's doubly bad since you are a celebrity. And if Albus Dumbledore finds out about this, you can bet he'll have a say as well. He may even petition that you be placed back with your aunt and uncle, even though I am your legal guardian in the Muggle world."

Harry piped up again. "But how can he do that? Why does whatever he say go?"

"Because he is not only one of the most famous wizards the Wizarding world has ever known, he is also Chief Mugwump, head of the Wizengamot. They even offered him the position of Minister for Magic after he defeated Grindelwald. He declined, of course, because he felt that being an educator was much more fulfilling that sitting in the stuffy ministry filling out paperwork all day."

The raven-haired boy scratched his head, still a bit confused. "If it's so hard for you to legally be my guardian in the Wizarding world, what are we going to do?"

Severus sighed again. "So far, I've been keeping you out of the Wizarding world and under everyone's radar. If they don't know where you are and what you are doing, they can't take you from me. But, with your finally joining me at Hogwarts, everyone is going to find out where you've been for the last six years. And Dumbledore will definitely be livid that I've been lying to him."

"So, what are we going to do, Father?"

The dark eyed man looked down at his brandy. He took a fortifying sip before he answered the preteen's question. "I'm going to have to fight for you. I only hope that Lucius and Narcissa can help. Lucius, though a former Death Eater himself, does have extensive ministry contacts. As does Narcissa. She is friends with a lot a pure-blood women. "

"I'm sure that Uncle Lucius and Aunt Narcissa will be more than happy to assist you in this. I know that they wouldn't want to see me shipped back to my real aunt and uncles any time soon. And you know that Draco would throw a holy fit if I were taken away."

"You are very right, Harry. I will admit, however, that I am nervous. Taking on the ministry and Dumbledore used to be a lot less terrifying with the Dark Lord behind us."

Harry quirked his head to the side. "Father, how come you never really talk about your time serving the Dark Lord?"

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose and took another sip of his brandy. Harry had a lot of hard questions tonight. "Those were dark times, Harry. I generally try to forget what I had to go through. However, if you would like me to tell you some stories, we can do that another time. For now, I think you should begin packing your trunk. You have barely a week left before you leave for Hogwarts, and if we are to fight for my right to keep you, we will need to formulate a plan. The next several days are going to be very busy."

The young boy nodded solemnly. "Of course, Father. If you could, would you please let Draco know I'm no longer cross with him? I think my anger at other situations blew out any irritation I had with him."

"Certainly, Harry. I left the things in the parlor. Your school truck is there as well. I'll bring you some tea in a bit, after I notify Draco that the coast is clear. Run along now."

Harry quickly hugged Severus and went on his way. He knew the next several days were going to be a whirlwind of activity, and his emotions would probably be running hot and cold. He figured it might be better if he got everything off his chest sooner rather than later so he didn't have to deal with it all at once.

The boy entered the parlor and crooned at Hedwig. While he was packing, he talked to her like he would normally talk to Draco, though he talked to the owl about things Draco didn't even have the privilege to know. It was with a lighter heart and a heavier trunk that Harry went to bed that night, free from much of his worry.

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><p><strong>Also:<strong> I want to thank you all so much for reading and reviewing this story. The love I receive for my work makes me quite happy, and each review makes me want to right all the more. I'm a little fuzzy on where the story will be going after Severus and Harry figure out all of the adoption/Dumbledore stuff, so if anyone has any ideas of what they'd like to see, please let me know. Also, there is a poll on my profile for the name of Harry's child in a new story I am writing. I hope everyone goes and checks it out so that I can get started on my new Harry/Lucius story.


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